Seed separating apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for the separation of seeds from seed-containing fruit rag or the like, particularly the separation of seeds from citrus fruit rag, which essentially consists of seeds, seed sacks and membranes to which the seeds adhere, and of albedo, and wherein the efficient separation of seeds enables the economical processing utilization of the separated seeds and of the fruit rag for further commercial applications. The apparatus includes an endless conveyor belt having a substantially horizontal upper run, and which is continually driven through the intermediary of a suitable drive arrangement, such as an electric motor, has at least one roller extending diagonally across the upper run of the conveyor belt in closely spaced relationship therewith forming a narrow gap therebetween, such that seed-containing fruit rag, upon being deposited on the upstream or infeed end of the conveyor belt, will be conducted into the gap between the roller and the belt, the spacing between the belt and roller being regulated to allow the fruit rag to pass through the gap and to continue its conveyance on the belt towards the downstream or discharge end of the conveyor belt; however, with the gap being sufficiently narrow to inhibit any seeds from passing therethrough. This will cause the seeds to be stripped or separated from the seed sacks and membranes of the fruit rag to which they adhere and to slide along the longitudinal axis of the diagonally extending roller towards one side of the conveyor belt, where the separated seeds as they fall off the belt are collected in a suitable collector receptacle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for the separation of seeds from seed-containing fruit rag, such as seed sacks, membranes and albedo and the like, comprising: (a) an endless continuously driven conveyor belt having a generally horizontal upper run, said seed-containing fruit rag being deposited on the upstream end of said upper conveyor run;   (b) at least one roller mounted to freely rotatably extend in closely spaced parallel relationship across said upper belt run and extending thereacross at an angle with respect to the direction of movement of said conveyor belt, said roller having a relatively smooth cylindrical outer surface, and said conveyor belt having a rougher surface finish than the cylindrical surface of said roller, said roller being spaced to form a predetermined gap with said upper belt run to facilitate the fruit rag being squeezed through the gap between said roller and the surface of the belt and to continue being conveyed on said belt run towards the downstream end thereof while inhibiting passage of seeds through the gap between said roller and belt run to effect separation of the seeds from said fruit rag and to cause the seeds to be conveyed along the axial length of said roller and discharged at one side of said conveyor belt, and   (c) barrier means contacting the outer cylindrical surface of said roller and said upper conveyor belt run to prevent the fruit rag from sliding towards the side of the belt during separation of the seed from said fruit rag while permitting passage of said seed past said barrier means.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the outer cylindrical surface portion of said roller is constituted of stainless steel. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller has a surface finish of about 8 to 64 microns. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller has an outer diameter of about 2 to 4 inches. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt is constructed of closely-woven nylon material. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyor belt is constituted of non-skid polypropylene. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising drive means for driving said conveyor belt at a linear advancing speed of about 0.5 to 6.0 feet/sec. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said drive means comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for regulating the gap between said outer cylindrical roller surface and said upper conveyor belt run. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said regulating means varies said gap within a range of about 0.004 and 0.015 inch. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said barrier means comprises a vertically depending rod member arranged to form a restricted opening between the rod member, the outer cylindrical surface of said roller and the surface of said upper conveyor belt run. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a second roller mounted freely rotatably downstream of said first roller and extending across said upper conveyor belt run in parallel spaced relationship with said first roller, said second roller being positioned to form a gap with said conveyor belt which is narrower than the gap between said first roller and said conveyor belt so as to separate any smaller-sized residual seeds from the fruit rag conveyed through the gap between said first roller and conveyor belt. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, comprising means for spraying a liquid onto the surface of said upper conveyor belt run intermediate said first and second rollers so as to assist in the separation of the residual seeds through said second roller. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said liquid comprises cold water. 
     
     
       15. A method for effecting the separation of seeds from seed-containing fruit rag, such as seed sacks, membranes and albedo and the like, comprising the steps of: (a) depositing said seed-containing fruit rag on the infeed end of a generally horizontal upper run of an endless continuously driven conveyor belt;   (b) conveying said seed-containing fruit rag on said upper belt run towards at least one roller mounted to freely rotatably extend in closely spaced parallel relationship with said upper belt run and extending thereacross at an angle with respect to the direction of movement of said conveyor belt, said roller having a relatively smooth cylindrical outer surface, and said conveyor belt having a rougher surface finish than the cylindrical surface of said roller, said roller forming a predetermined gap with said upper belt run; squeezing said fruit rag between said roller and belt for continued conveyance of the fruit rag towards the downstream end thereof while inhibiting passage of seeds through the gap between said roller and belt and effecting separation of the seeds from said fruit rag; and allowing the separated seed to slide along the axial length of said roller for discharge thereof at one side edge of said conveyor belt.   
     
     
       16. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising driving said conveyor belt at a linear feed speed of about 0.5 to 6.0 feet/sec. 
     
     
       17. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising regulating the gap between said roller and said conveyor belt. 
     
     
       18. A method as claimed in claim 17, comprising regulating the size of said gap within the range of about 0.004 and 0.015 inch. 
     
     
       19. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising positioning barrier means engaging said roller and said upper conveyor belt run to prevent fruit rag from sliding off the side of the belt while allowing separated seed to pass said barrier means towards the side of the belt. 
     
     
       20. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising conveying said fruit rag on said upper belt run towards a second roller mounted freely rotatably downstream of said first roller and extending across said upper conveyor belt run in parallel spaced relationship with said first roller, said second roller being positioned to form a gap with said conveyor belt which is narrower than the gap between said first roller and said conveyor belt; and separating smaller-sized residual seeds from said fruit rag at the gap between said second roller and upper run surface of the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       21. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising spraying a liquid onto the surface of said upper conveyor belt run intermediate said first and second roller so as to assist in the separation of the residual seeds through said second roller. 
     
     
       22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said liquid comprises cold water.